Letting Go
by ShinySides
Summary: They burnt their house down the day they left. He left everything behind and they moved forward… right? Rating for minor swearing.


I am BACK!!! I haven't written anything for fan fiction in a long time so excuse me if im rusty…….

Summary: They burnt their house down the day they left. He left everything behind and they moved forward…. right?

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. Never will. Ever. Damn……

**Letting Go**

Edward Elric, the Full-metal Alchemist, was scared. Well, not exactly scared, more of an…anxious feeling. The bridge he was standing at alone, in Central, wasn't exactly the most inviting place in the world, and he certainly wasn't there for the happiest of missions.

The frosty winter wind bit at his face, and his hair was gently waving in front of his dazed, golden eyes. As he looked down into the rapidly moving river, he assured himself that it needed be done. '_I have to do this…We'll never find the stone if I don't...' _

With that thought, he drew his auto mail hand out of his coat pocket, and glanced at the object firmly grasped in his fist. '_How weak I am… carrying this around all these years…'_

The photograph, old, and torn, from years of clutching for the small bit of comfort it offered, and burnt, however slightly on the lower right corner. Edward slumped slightly, recalling the memory of how he got it.

Flashback

_He and Al had poured the gasoline; they had lit the now burning sticks and the back door of their childhood home. Flames licked at the down stair windows by now, and the brothers stood together in nothing short of agony._

_Something inside Edward snapped and he sprinted into the burning house. Ignoring Al's cries for him to go back, he brushed off the pain of the growing fire, and ran up the stairs, to his father's study. Looking around quickly, he found his object of his thoughts. It was filed inside a long forgotten drawer, seemed slightly faded. _

_It was catching fire. _

_Ed hurriedly stomped out the flames with his metallic foot, and grabbed an Alchemy book for a quick excuse. Before dashing out the house he took a moment to gaze at the picture._

_It was a beautiful day in Resembool, and he could almost hear the birds singing. His father was tenderly holding Alphonse's tiny, newborn body with one arm wrapped lovingly around his mother. _

_Winry's parents stood to their right, proudly, while Edward and Winry stood in the front, arms wrapped around the others shoulders in their friendly, childhood innocence. _

_Edward choked back tears, turned, and ran down the stairs and burst through the flaming door._

End Flashback

Why had he kept it? Not the brightest of questions, but one that needed to be answered. The date of the photo was so long ago, before any of them knew pain, before Winry's parents were murdered. Before their father left them behind, alone with their soon to be dying mother.

He shook his head of the unpleasant memories and glanced back down at the tattered piece of paper.

Any passers-by would've sworn he was almost crying.

Edward kept everything inside, held everything back. He glanced around the park wearily. Of course it was empty. Who in their right mind would be there at, he checked his pocket watch, 2:51 in the morning?

He let one tear slide down his soft cheek.

The river was gaining in speed, he could hear it. A soft rain began, perfectly echoing Edward's emotions. As his hair to began to dampen, he asked himself why he kept the souvenir anyways…..Edward Elric was afraid to leave everything behind, _afraid_ to_ let go_.

He ruefully chuckled, a strange choking sound. '_Why am I so god damn weak?' _ The answer was already known, he wasn't as weak as he wanted to think of himself as. For the tender age of fifteen, he was emotionally and physically stronger than most adults. Not to mention mentally.

Watching your brother's body deteriorate does that to you. Watching your mother die helps too, I suppose. Never mind his own loss of limbs, his brother nearly _died _for _his_ mistake, _his_ stupidity and naivety.

A shiver ran through the alchemist's body as the wind got stronger, and the night colder. Now or never did not apply for this moment. Edward was going to take his sweet time, what's the use in rushing, anyway? He knew enough that it needed to be done, that was for sure.

Besides, it wasn't fair to Al. Edward had a memory that he could hold to get the warmth of life back to him. What did Alphonse have, right? That's how Ed saw it.

The river was not going to slow down, and neither was the upcoming day. Not for him.

Yet, no matter how hard the young man tried, he could not bring himself to simply _destroy_ something so…precious to him. No, it wasn't a matter of not being _able_ to, just…not desiring to. An eerie sense of tension lingered around Edward.

He held his breath, placed both hands on either side of the decaying picture, and pulled, gently.

He could've sworn the rip almost went in perfect timing with his heart.

A sudden idea came to the boy, and he turned eagerly, looking for the correct materials for the transmutation. A few minutes later, gathered objects lay patiently waiting, nestled in the middle of the alchemic circle.

Edward clapped his hands once, laid them on the edges of the perfect circle, and squinted slightly as the blinding blue light cut through his weary eyes. The next second, a beautiful wooden box lay directly in front of him. It was a simple transmutation, really, just a plain little box, only big enough for the photograph.

Ed got down on one knee, and gently placed the torn trinket inside the square box. He then picked it up, and very carefully, placed it on the very edge of the bridge. Once again clapping his hands, he tightly locked the box with alchemy, and hoped to every God he didn't believe it wouldn't be destroyed by the strong current.

He took a deep breath, and then pushed the small box into the river, leading it to the ocean. With one final glance, he turned around, and headed back to the military dorm room he shared with his brother.

Edward Elric, The Full-Metal Alchemist was finally letting go.

A/N How'd ya like it? Please review!!!


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